Seeing Ming Yu's prolonged silence, a hint of disappointment and regret crept into Theresa's piercing gaze.
In terms of benevolence and tolerance, Theresa had performed very well, almost unlike the leader of a major power.
Judging from the series of things Ming Yu had done since his appearance, his purpose for entering St. Freya High School was definitely not pure.
Appearing out of nowhere during the Third Honkai Eruption, befriending the Third Herrscher, getting close to Kiana Kaslana, and scheming for a Divine Key—ignoring the methods and looking only at the results he achieved, it was almost a hundred percent certain that his ambitions were not small.
If it were Cocolia of Anti-Entropy or Otto at Schicksal HQ, they would never have tolerated Ming Yu's antics for this long. He would have been secretly thrown into a dark room for harsh interrogation long ago.
But Theresa didn't. She was still trying to negotiate with Ming Yu, hoping he could be more frank and trust her a little more. Because from the very beginning, it was Ming Yu who was hiding everything about himself!
Although he said he once belonged to 'Serpent,' firstly, 'Serpent's' main area of activity was not in the Far East, and secondly, 'Serpent' was an underground organization. Trying to find someone there was like finding a needle in a haystack.
Noticing the disappointment in Theresa's eyes, Ming Yu sighed softly and said, "Regarding my past, I've already said what I can, even though it may seem perfunctory to you. But, I really didn't lie!
Besides, apart from St. Freya, in this vast world, I have nowhere else to go!"
As he said this, a few wisps of genuine sadness flickered in Ming Yu's eyes, and a slight mist appeared as he looked at Theresa.
Ming Yu wasn't exactly lying. His past was impossible to speak of; everything about that other world was his deepest secret. These things could absolutely not be revealed in the slightest. He couldn't just say he was from the Time-Space Administration Bureau.
Before Ming Yu picked up Jizo Mitama, his identity was just that of an ordinary Valkyrie trainee. But the moment he chose to pick up the Divine Key, he had inevitably stepped into the vortex of this world.
If he had wanted to leave St. Freya before, it could have been considered a school transfer. Now, if he wanted to leave, it could only be as a defector, and he would surely face pursuit from Schicksal.
And to fight against a colossal organization like Schicksal, one could only side with Anti-Entropy or World Serpent, which were on the same level.
He was completely unfamiliar with World Serpent; if he entered, he would probably be devoured, bones and all. That kind of place was not somewhere he could venture into at his current state.
As for Anti-Entropy, his only option would be to connect with Einstein or Tesla and join their faction. But they couldn't even protect their fellow Executor, Raiden Ryoma, so how could Ming Yu trust them to guarantee his safety? He would probably end up on Cocolia's experiment table before long, to unlock the secret of how he survived a major Honkai Eruption.
Although St. Freya still had the Sovereign of Anti-Entropy, he didn't think he could persuade the big boss to let him go if he stumbled upon the boss's secret.
Just as he said, apart from St. Freya, there was no place for him in this vast world!
Seeing that Ming Yu's tone did not seem feigned, Theresa's resolve wavered slightly, and she couldn't help but recall the events in the Stigmata Space...
While Yae Sakura and Yae Rin were still exploring the new Yae Village, Theresa quietly approached Kallen.
Seeing her biological ancestor with such a youthful appearance looking at her with a puzzled expression, this forty-something-year-old child blushed for a rare moment. But when she thought of a certain five-hundred-plus-year-old Overseer who acted similarly, she suppressed her embarrassment and obediently called out, "Grandma~"
Hearing this age-revealing title, Kallen's face instantly darkened. She smiled, cracking her knuckles, which made a crisp sound, and said amiably, "Little sister, just call me 'Big Sis'!"
Although it seemed Theresa was also from the Kaslana family, and even from the direct line, Kallen didn't mind teaching this honest junior a lesson.
"But, Otto Apocalypse is my grandfather," Theresa quickly explained upon seeing Kallen's expression. "My name is Theresa, Theresa Apocalypse."
Pausing her actions, Kallen also remembered her nominal fiancé. She pointed at Theresa in shock and said, "That guy Otto is still alive, and he's married? With a granddaughter this old!"
Although choosing Yae Sakura was a bit unfair to Otto, it's a good thing that he was able to move on, Kallen thought. It was just that Theresa's appearance, so clearly that of a direct Kaslana descendant, bothered her a little. And on closer inspection, she looked a lot like herself.
The thought of Otto dating one of the young girls from the Kaslana family and having a granddaughter so similar to herself made Kallen feel a bit uncomfortable.
Seeing the ever-changing expression on Kallen's face, Theresa knew she had gotten the wrong idea and hurriedly clarified, "It's not like that! Strictly speaking, I'm just a synthetic human."
But Kallen's level of knowledge clearly couldn't comprehend such things. Only after multiple explanations from Theresa did she barely understand the fact that Otto had been single for five hundred years. But thinking about Otto using her genes for such things, her discomfort deepened.
However, towards Theresa, Kallen still put on a kind face. After all, the child was innocent. She bent down, pinched Theresa's cheek, and asked affectionately, "So, what did you want to ask me?"
Looking at Ming Yu's figure in the distance, holding Jizo Mitama, Theresa asked with some hesitation, "Is it really okay to entrust the Divine Key to that guy?"
Looking at Theresa's conflicted little face, Kallen chuckled a few times before speaking, "Haven't you already made your choice? As the user of the Oath of Judah, you must have felt it, right? That determination to protect others. With a little guidance, he will use the power of the Divine Key on the right path."
If Theresa completely disagreed with this plan, she wouldn't have hesitated at all; she would have chosen to strip him of the Divine Key directly. Perhaps, deep down, she also felt that Jizo Mitama should belong to that young man.
However, Ming Yu's identity remained a great mountain weighing on her heart. Whenever Theresa wanted to trust him, she would see a cloud of ominous fog around him.
But looking at the undisguised admiration in Kallen's eyes, and thinking of the scene where the young man wielded Judah, Theresa's heart came to a new decision...
Her thoughts drifted for a moment. Looking at the slightly anxious Ming Yu before her, Theresa felt a pang of guilt. She had never felt any hostility from the boy, not even now as he was being questioned. He had no intention of attacking her, even though she was unarmed and sitting almost completely defenseless on the hospital bed.
Although if Ming Yu really chose to do so, he would definitely pay a heavy price.
Sighing softly, Theresa looked directly at the young man before her and said, "It's not entirely impossible for me to acknowledge your possession of this Divine Key."
After a pause, Theresa said enticingly, "What do you think of the Far East Branch?"
...